Renault Clio - Brake creep groan

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Wed 21 Feb 2024 15:51
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - New owner

I have been hearing some groaning noise from my new automatic Clio hybrid at low speed when braking and moving off in start-stop traffic and on slopes. I have a habit of feathering off the brake to get a smooth stop. I came across a technical article on brake creep groan which explained the stick-slip phenomenon between the brake pad and the disc at low speeds especially prone to automatic cars which results in low frequency vibrations. It is related to the brake pad material as the friction coefficient has a role to play in it. The issue is present in even expensive cars and manufacturers do a lot of research to optimise it but have to strike a balance between NVH comfort and achieving shorter braking distance.

Just interested in knowing who else has experienced this and the make/model of the car. What did you do to mitigate the sound?

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Wed 21 Feb 2024 18:13
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - elekie&a/c doctor
Why do you think it’s the brakes making a noise ?
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Wed 21 Feb 2024 19:29
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - New owner
It is heard only when pressing the brake pedal on low speed and then pressing the accelerator pedal for moving off. So should be related to engaging and disengaging of the brake. It groans if I press lightly.
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Wed 21 Feb 2024 19:36
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - paul 1963

My company Electric Berlingo does exactly the same when moving off, my personal vitara does the same but only in reverse, mildly irritating but I'm not particularly bothered tbh..

Oh the feathering off on the brake when coming to a stop is called a " chauffeur stop" btw, the idea is your passengers don't actually feel the car coming to a stop, I've been doing it for years, quite satisfying when you get it right.

Edited by paul 1963 on 21/02/2024 at 19:40

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Wed 21 Feb 2024 19:44
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - elekie&a/c doctor
Are you using both feet to drive ?
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Wed 21 Feb 2024 19:51
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - New owner
No. It’s automatic so using only the right one.
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Thu 22 Feb 2024 11:45
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - New owner

One observation:

This creep groan happens when I alternate between brake/accelerator in start-stop traffic on a levelled road or a sloping downward road. This morning I observed that when I stop at traffic signal on a sloping upward road then I didn’t hear this groan when pressed the brake pedal fully when it’s almost close to zero speed. Any idea why this? Is it because on an upward sloping road, an automatic car won’t creep as fast as it would do on a levelled or sloping downward road as working against gravity?

Always driven a manual before and didn’t hear these braking sounds. So just wondering is the noise something I have to just get used to or do I need to change the way I have been braking until now.

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Thu 22 Feb 2024 11:57
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - elekie&a/c doctor
Think you need to adapt your driving habits to suit the car . Otherwise get a manual transmission car without any hybrid input . I’ve driven loads of auto transmission cars , and tbh never really noticed any particular groan at low speed unless there’s a problem with the braking system. Perhaps your discs are corroded?
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Sun 25 Feb 2024 22:27
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - focussed
Think you need to adapt your driving habits to suit the car . Otherwise get a manual transmission car without any hybrid input . I’ve driven loads of auto transmission cars , and tbh never really noticed any particular groan at low speed unless there’s a problem with the braking system. Perhaps your discs are corroded?

It's the standard Renault hill - hold / driver assistance feature working.

Depending on the gradient of the incline, this system assists the driver when starting on a hill. It prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards by automatically applying the brakes when the driver lifts his/her foot off the brake pedal to depress the accelerator pedal.

SYSTEM OPERATION

It only operates when the gear lever is in a position other than neutral (other than N or P for automatic transmissions) and the vehicle is completely stationary (brake pedal depressed)

The system holds the vehicle for approximately 2 seconds. The brakes are then gradually released (the vehicle will move according to the slope).

gb.e-guide.renault.com/eng/Clio-5/DRIVING-CORRECTI...S

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Sun 25 Feb 2024 23:45
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - edlithgow
Think you need to adapt your driving habits to suit the car . Otherwise get a manual transmission car without any hybrid input . I’ve driven loads of auto transmission cars , and tbh never really noticed any particular groan at low speed unless there’s a problem with the braking system. Perhaps your discs are corroded?

It's the standard Renault hill - hold / driver assistance feature working.


Might be, but I THINK I've had something similar-sounding happen on cars which certainly had no such feature.

IIRC my automatic Sierra did it fairly regularly.

To the very limited extent that I thought about it at all, I assumed it was due to stiction between the pad and disk surface, causing it to cyclically grab and let go, setting up a vibration. Bit like ABS operation, I suppose.

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Fri 23 Feb 2024 01:10
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - edlithgow

If this bothered me I'd clean the brake disks.

But I don't think it would.

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Mon 26 Feb 2024 09:14
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - bathtub tom

I wonder if the OP worries too much about everything if you read all their posts?

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Mon 26 Feb 2024 09:47
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - elekie&a/c doctor
Couldn’t agree more . Op should have bought an older car with less technology.
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Mon 26 Feb 2024 23:32
Renault Clio - Brake creep groan - edlithgow
Couldn’t agree more . Op should have bought an older car with less technology.

So should you all. You're just encouraging them.

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